bada wrote:I think Wes Johnson is a bad fit with Minnesota, unless they trade for a guy like Monta, then it would be a good fit.

Johnson and Brewer dont fit together in my opinion at all. Neither can create their own shot. Having both wing players incapable of creating is BIG trouble.

That team needs a shot creator so badly... and for all the great things Johnson brings, shot creator is not one of them.

But I still think they take him and figure it out later.

Better for the team and a trade with them could be even easier. Lots not forget Maggette creates a bit himself, just not much for others, but he could be traded instead and really, I'd take it because most of the other players we have on our bench are probably more suited to SF than SG, like RWilliams, Morrow and Azu. Either way, a trade could be real possible

If I was Minny, I would not be sold on the front court of Love and Jefferson ... so the Johnson pick is questionable. Why would Sacramento let a talent like Cousins fall to the Warriors to pick a SF of all things? On the other hand, we have no choice because even if he is lousy (Jamarcus Russell) it's a rookie contract and worth the risk (Gortat makes 31 as a backup to Howard). The number 2 pick is for sale for any team that wants to get a bad contract in return and that could change the scenario with the 6th pick. If we land Cousins, the smart play would to trade for the best offer available.

Need: The Wiz need help everywhere. Their best player is Gilbert Arenas, but he'll be on the trading block every day for the rest of his contract, so there's no worry about his meshing with whomever Washington takes. And that person pretty simply has to be the best player from this class over the next five-plus years; not the best guy today. That kind of superstar should help create a new identity and sell tickets. In essence, with this pick, need equals value.

Value: The best prospect in this class, when character, maturity and talent are all mixed in, is clearly John Wall. If DeMarcus Cousins had Wall's head and polish, he'd be in the mix here. But Cousins showed up fat in Chicago, which clinched the deal for Wall. The fact that Wall seems ready to take on the burdens of being a superstar, loves to pass, and is a competitive jet -- meaning he'll be fun to play with -- is an added bonus.

No. 2 Philadelphia 76ers

Need: The Sixers were in the bottom third of the NBA in almost every team statistic. They are a poor shooting, poor defending, poor rebounding and poor passing team. That said, they have to love Jrue Holiday as a building block at a vital position -- point guard. The rest of the roster is muddled. Andre Iguodala is the best player, but just an average shooter, Elton Brand isn't living up to his contract and Thaddeus Young is trapped between the two forward positions. Based on need, the Sixers should grab either Cousins, Derrick Favors or Evan Turner, in that order.

Value: The Cousins/Turner/Favors decision here is one of the more interesting stories of the draft. Turner is the most NBA-ready player in the class, and his versatility helps him fit on this team (and pretty much every other). But there is a fair concern that he's too similar to Iggy as an all-around talent but not a shooting threat. That said, a trio of Iguodala, Holiday and Turner would excel defensively and could lead a fast team (especially with Young and Marreese Speights up front). There's actually a stronger argument for Favors. He's just 18, and in time, experts think he could end up being the second best player in this class. Turner might help Philly win more games immediately, but a Sixers team featuring Holiday and Favors will almost assuredly end up with a top-five pick against next season. Much in the way Oklahoma City built its roster with additional lottery picks, I like the way the point guard/post combo sets up Philly's future by grabbing Favors here. Cousins, though, is the top value pick, as the best available player with the brightest upside, if he can be mentored.

No. 3 New Jersey Nets

Need: The Nets couldn't have been more dysfunctional last season, which masks a surprising fact -- this team has talent. Brook Lopez has potential franchise talent at the 5, Terrence Williams will be a strong rotation player and Courtney Lee is a proven starter as a fourth/fifth option. Devin Harris should rebound from a poor season and even Yi Jianlian showed signs of life. Granted, this team still could use talent anywhere, but whomever they get at No. 3 can't expect to start right away. Based on need, I'd suggest that Favors is the slight favorite.

Value: Either Turner or Favors will be here. Chad has the Nets grabbing Favors, and he'll have every opportunity to start alongside Lopez, which would really help the Nets' interior D and form a nice rotation with Yi in the mix. That said, I like Turner here better because he'll be ready to play right away, which is an added bonus because the Nets will be chasing free agents in July. Plus, his playmaking skills are a good fit next Harris, who prefers to score. With Turner, and almost any solid FA, the Nets should be the league's most improved team.

No. 4 Minnesota Timberwolves

Need: The Wolves have three main holes to fill; they need an organizing force at point guard, a wing scorer and some help in the paint defensively. Ricky Rubio is their point guard of the future, unless he is moved for someone similar (and then Jonny Flynn becomes a serious Sixth Man award candidate). Corey Brewer improved dramatically in his third year, but will never be a big-time scorer (especially when he's playing at the 2). And Darko Milicic showed flashes of starter talent after he arrived, but he's a long way from a sure thing. They'd love Turner, a perfect match for Brewer, but would settle for Wesley Johnson.

Value: Chad is going with Johnson currently, but I don't love his upside or his long-term prospects here. This is where the Chicago camp hurts Cousins. If he had shown up in great shape and with added polish, he'd be a lock for this spot, even if it's not a great fit. But he didn't, and now it's a scramble. Johnson would help the Wolves, but they'd still need a high-scoring wing. If they acquire one, Brewer and Johnson would battle it out at the 3, and Brewer has three years of experience and a better defensive future. Johnson would be an excellent backup, but that's a high price to pay for the No. 4 pick. Al-Farouq Aminu gets into the equation, as his ability to score around the basket gets utilized well in the triangle. His upside suggests more value here, so he'll have his chances at this spot.

No. 5 Sacramento Kings

Need: At season's end, the Kings' two best players were in their backcourt. They have two lottery guys in their frontcourt, and two late first-round picks at the small forward spot. It's fair to say they could use help at any of those three spots, but more likely their most pressing need is a frontline scorer who can help shore up a very bad defensive team too. Neither Spencer Hawes nor Jason Thompson has evolved into anything more than a rotation big, at best. Without a doubt, Cousins is the perfect fit here. He's what they need on offense and the boards.

Value: Getting Cousins at No. 5, as Chad currently predicts, looks like it's a can't miss proposition for the Kings. He's probably the second best prospect in this draft, even with his immaturity issues and his overweight frame. Coach Paul Westphal is a friendly guy who has the ability to reach a player like Cousins. The Kings are well aware of the red flags surrounding Cousins, and might look at Aminu to shore up their small forward spot. Neither Omri Casspi nor Donte Greene has earned a guaranteed starting spot there going forward, and Aminu would give them a scorer, an athlete, and more importantly, a rebounder and a defender. Both guys have the upside to make them value picks at this spot, but Cousins gets a big edge in that department. It's possible that he could be a Day 1 starter and be the second consecutive ROY in Sacramento.

bada wrote:Guess nobody has seen this kid. In any case, he seems to be climbing up the draft board fast! In fact some scouts are saying he could be the first wing player taken after Wes Johnson

I've only seen Paul George listed on one of the 14 Mock Drafts listed on NBA.COM. The only other place I've seen his name is on Draft Express, but I don't think they've updated their mock in awhile. If they have it looks kinda... bad to me.

No way this kid gets drafted before Aminu, Hayward or Babbitt (do you count them as wings?)

He has almost exactly the same physical dimensions as Babbitt, is the same age, played in the same conference, apparently only did the bench press in the combine (4???), and didn't have nearly the playing stats Babbitt had.

I have never seen Paul George play but have a hard time seeing him as the second wing picked in the draft just based on stats.

edit to add: Have I mentioned that I think we should draft Luke Babbitt

Another NBA draft, another flurry of trade activity, with the Bulls setting up a deal that will put guard Kirk Hinrich in a Washington Wizards uniform and free up enough cap space to make Chicago a major player in free agency.

The Bulls will move Hinrich and the 17th pick in the draft -- Kevin Seraphin, a 6-foot-9, 20-year-old forward who last played in France -- to the Wizards. The Associated Press reported that Chicago will get a future second-round pick.

Sources with knowledge of the Bulls' plans told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that moving Hinrich will enable Chicago to pursue two maximum-salary players in the free-agent market, which opens after midnight on July 1.

Trades cannot be consummated officially until July 8, when the salary cap takes effect. The Wizards will have room under the cap to absorb Hinrich's $9 million contract without having to send Washington anything of similar value.

Seraphin may not be ready to play in the league for a year or two.

The Bulls would not confirm the trade. In a statement released Thursday night, general manager Gar Forman said "we are not at liberty to identify the team that we are talking to or reveal any other specifics of potential trades. Therefore, we will have no comment on this selection until we have completed all trade discussions."

Since the Bulls and Wizards have a good-faith deal for the time being, there remains a chance it could fall apart. But according to one source, the Sacramento Kings are prepared to make a similar deal with the Bulls in the Wizards' stead if that were to happen, Bucher reports.

In other draft-night deals:

• The Los Angeles Clippers acquired the draft rights to guard Eric Bledsoe of Kentucky from Oklahoma City in exchange for a future protected first-round pick.

Bledsoe was originally selected by the Thunder with the 18th pick.

He averaged 11.3 points, 2.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds as a freshman last season. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder from Birmingham, Ala., gave the Clippers a second player chosen in the first round. They took Al-Farouq Aminu of Wake Forest as the eighth overall pick.

The Clippers took guard Willie Warren of Oklahoma with the 54th overall pick in the second round.

• University of Washington swingman Quincy Pondexter is headed to New Orleans after being taken with the No. 26 pick.

Pondexter was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder but will go to the Hornets in a trade that netted New Orleans a pair of first-round picks. The Hornets also get Iowa State forward Craig Brackins, the 21st overall pick.

• The Dallas Mavericks acquired Dominique Jones from Memphis after the Grizzlies took him with the 25th pick.

The Mavericks used cash to pry Jones from Memphis, which had two other first-round picks. Dallas still had the 50th overall pick Thursday night. The amount of money was not immediately disclosed, but likely was around the league's $3 million maximum.

Jones is a 6-foot-5, 216-pound guard who left South Florida after his junior year. He was a first-team All-Big East selection, averaging 21.4 points per game last season.

Team owner Mark Cuban tweeted: "We tried to trade into the top20 to get (Jones), got lucky to get him 25."

• The Mavs also traded the draft rights to Solomon Alabi, the 50th pick, to the Toronto Raptors for a future second pick and financial considerations.

• The Atlanta Hawks and New Jersey Nets agreed to exchange first-round picks.

The Hawks agreed to trade Texas forward Damion James, taken with Atlanta's No. 24 pick, to New Jersey for one of the Nets' two first-round picks, Xavier guard Jordan Crawford, the 27th pick. The Hawks also receive the No. 31 pick, center Tibor Pleiss of Germany.

The Hawks then traded the rights to Pleiss to Oklahoma City for financial considerations.

The 6-foot-7 James averaged 18 points and 10.3 rebounds as a senior with the Longhorns. Crawford led Xavier with a 20.5 point average.

• The Minnesota Timberwolves selected forward Luke Babbitt from Nevada with the 16th pick and traded him and veteran forward Ryan Gomes to the Portland Trail Blazers for guard/forward Martell Webster.

Babbitt gives the Blazers a shooter to spread the floor for LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy.

Webster averaged 9.4 points and 3.3 rebounds for the Blazers last year and immediately upgrades the athleticism for Minnesota.

Gomes spent the past three seasons in Minnesota after coming over from Boston in the Kevin Garnett trade. He averaged 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds last year.

• The Wolves traded the rights to forward Trevor Booker (No. 23) and the rights to center Hamady Ndiaye (No. 56) to the Wizards for the rights to forward Lazar Hayward (No. 30) of Marquette and forward Nemanja Bjelica (No. 35) of Serbia.

• The Indiana Pacers have swapped picks with Oklahoma City to get Louisiana Tech's Magnum Rolle in the second round.

Indiana took Florida State's Ryan Reid with the 57th pick, then sent it to Oklahoma City, along with some cash, for Rolle. The 6-foot-11 center averaged 13.9 points and 8.4 rebounds and led the Western Athletic Conference with 2.1 blocks per game.

The 24-year-old transferred from LSU before redshirting, then having two strong seasons for the Bulldogs.

The Pacers also took Fresno State's Paul George with the No. 10 pick and Cincinnati's Lance Stephenson with the 40th pick.

University of Washington swingman Quincy Pondexter is headed to New Orleans after being taken with the No. 26 pick.

Pondexter was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder but will go to the Hornets in a trade that netted New Orleans a pair of first-round picks. The Hornets also get Iowa State forward Craig Brackins, the 21st overall pick.